How to freeze honeysuckle for the winter

The advantage of freezing over compotes and jam is the simplicity of the method and the preservation of all valuable vitamins, micro and macroelements. Even if you break the rules, only the integrity of the peel and sweetness will suffer, but the benefits will remain the same. To enjoy honeysuckle all winter, store the berries in the freezer.

Preparing for freezing

Ripe but firm berries will best withstand icy conditions. Definitely no damage. Overripe fruits will most likely suffer even before freezing: they will burst when washed. The berries should be a bright, rich blue color.

How to carefully wash berries:

1. Do not pour boiling water over the fruits!
2. Place the honeysuckle in a sieve.
3. Rinse with warm running water.
4. Fill a bowl or large salad bowl with water and dip the sieve several times.
5. Wait until the main water drains.
6. Now pour the berries onto an unnecessary towel and carefully distribute them so that there is only 1, maximum 2 layers. Try to keep it in the shade.
7. Allow the moisture to evaporate completely (usually about 2 hours).

The last stage of preparation is cooling. Return the honeysuckle to a dry colander and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Shelf life

With proper freezing and a constant temperature of -18 degrees, honeysuckle will last up to 9 months.If you neglect washing, drying and pre-cooling, the shelf life will be reduced to 6 months.

The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends using honeysuckle in the first months after harvesting - such a product has maximum benefits, and by summer there will be little left of it.

Freezing

Once pre-cooled, transfer the berries to small bags, trays or containers - one for each future use. Leave a little space and do not compact it under any circumstances. Do not forget to remove the air (otherwise condensation and an ice crust will form, which will ruin the thawing process). For the first few hours, set the temperature significantly below -18 degrees (if technology allows). In the future, standard camera settings will suffice.

Important
Any container for storage at low temperatures should be marked “For freezing.” She looks like a snowflake. A low-quality container may crack.

How to make berries freeze in bulk

To do this, you will have to prepare trays, plates with sides or baking sheets, and also empty an entire shelf or container in the freezer.

Procedure:

1. Distribute the honeysuckle prepared in the usual way among the trays in one layer. It is ideal if the berries do not touch each other.
2. Make pyramids out of the pallets (the bottom should not touch the fruit below).
3. Place in the freezer and keep at –21 or below for 2-4 hours.
4. Ready! The scattering has hardened - fill a large container or a general bag with it and do not worry about having to break off pieces from the stuck together brick.

Recipes: how else can you freeze honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is frozen: whole berries without additives or sprinkled with sugar, grated or crushed, as part of ready-made desserts.

Fruits with sugar

Both fresh and slightly overripe berries are suitable for this method. They should be loaded into a bag or glass, sprinkled with a few spoons of sugar, closed and shaken. Don't add too much sweetness if making it for the first time.

Ground honeysuckle

For this method, you need to choose fruits with thin skins. The ratio of honeysuckle and sugar is 4:1. A blender or mixer will give you the desired consistency. After grinding, you need to fill ice molds, cups or other containers. This way the puree will freeze much faster (but it is still advisable to keep it in the cold for several days), and it will be much more convenient to use the product.

Citrus mix

Honeysuckle combines with many ingredients, including citrus fruits.

Take:

• honeysuckle - portion;
• orange - 1 pc.;
• sugar - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Make berry puree as in the recipe above.
2. Peel the orange, cut into small pieces and mix with honeysuckle.
3. If desired, add a little grated zest to give the dish some flavor and some bitterness.
4. Taste for sweetness, sprinkle with a little more sugar if necessary.
5. Package, seal tightly and place in the freezer.

The dessert is served thawed or cold, alone or with ice cream. It is also an excellent dressing for compote, casseroles, and filling for baked goods.

Defrosting

Slow defrosting will help preserve vitamins. To do this, you need to take the honeysuckle out of the freezer for 12 hours into the refrigerator, and then into room temperature.

Freezing honeysuckle is not difficult. While the berry dries, cools or freezes, there is time for other things. Cook with pleasure and enjoy delicious and healthy supplies all winter.